David Cowan
InvestorPartner at Bessemer Venture Partners · Board director at Picogrid · Board director at Bastille Networks · Board director at Virtru
Redwood City, California
Writes $1M – $250M checks · typically $25M
Midas 2018 · #49Midas 2017 · #65Midas 2015 · #73Midas 2013 · #61Midas 2012 · #69Midas 2011Midas 2009Midas 2008Midas 2007Midas 2006Midas 2005Midas 2004Midas 2002Midas 2001
Find your path to David
192 people in our graph share verified history with David — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
About
David Cowan blends investor and operator—co‑founding three cybersecurity companies from his firm's offices, including VeriSign where he was founding chairman and CFO—and pioneers proactive, research‑driven roadmaps into quantum and space.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Likely email· guessed from name + firm domain, not firm-published
- d•••@bvp.comreveal100% confident
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingConsumerCybersecurityFintechGamingHealthtechSaaSSpace Tech
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Cowan co-founded Verisign in 1995, serving as its initial chairman. Cowan co-founded the mobile email software platform Visto in 1996 and served as its initial CEO. Cowan co-founded DDoS-prevention firm Defense.Net in 2012. As a teenager, Cowan founded Data Route to sell magazine-labeling software to law and private libraries, and later sold it to Brad Feld.
- Education
- Studied at Harvard University (AB, Computer Science and Mathematics, 1988) Studied at Harvard University (MBA, 1992) Studied at Harvard Business School (MBA)
- Boards
- Cowan is a board member of the Center for Inquiry as of 2022. Cowan previously served as a Trustee of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science before it merged with the Center for Inquiry. Cowan serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian as of 2022.
- Charities
- Cowan founded the Afghan Rescue Fund, which helps relocate Afghan families imperiled by the Taliban regime, and has coordinated the rescue of hundreds of endangered Afghans.
- Communities
- Cowan supports scientific skepticism and the work of Richard Dawkins, and identifies as atheist.
- Awards
- Cowan's Wish I Knew podcast won the 2024 Webby Award for Best Business Podcast. Cowan received a 2026 Emmy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short as the producer of the film 'Heist.' Cowan's documentary Afghan Dreamers won the Best Human Rights Film Award at Galway Film Fleadh and other festival honors.
- Hobbies
- Cowan co-wrote and starred in the Silicon Valley mockumentary 'Bubbleproof' and produced the documentary Afghan Dreamers. Cowan hosts the Wish I Knew podcast, which shares life-changing moments experienced by founders and CEOs. Cowan wrote and directed the musical 'Lies in the Attic,' performed by the a cappella group Voices in Harmony in San Jose.
- Family
- Cowan is the brother of former New York Times reporter Alison Leigh Cowan.
- More
- Cowan was raised in New Rochelle, New York. Cowan's 2006 blog post questioning marketing claims about the supplement Airborne became the primary source for a Scientific American article that preceded an FTC settlement. Cowan holds several United States patents relating to consumer behavior and network security.
From published sources — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Picogrid
Intro paths
In turn, David can intro founders to Picogrid's investors below.
Picogrid's investors · 9
Co-founders at Picogrid
Board director at Bastille Networks
Intro paths
In turn, David can intro founders to Bastille Networks's investors below.
Bastille Networks's investors · 3
Co-founders at Bastille Networks
Board director at Virtru
Intro paths
In turn, David can intro founders to Virtru's investors below.
Virtru's investors · 9
Co-founders at Virtru
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Experience
- Bessemer Venture PartnersPartnercurrent1992 — presentRedwood City, California, United States
- Rocket Lab USABoard Membercurrent2015 — presentAuckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Pale Blue Dot FilmsEmmy-nominated Producer and Directorcurrent2016 — present
- BubbleProofCo-writer, co-starcurrent2017 — present
- Center for InquiryBoard Trusteecurrent2017 — presentWashington DC-Baltimore Area
Skills & more
Languages French · Hebrew
From David's professional profile.
Deals · 3
VirtruLed round
via Bessemer Venture Partners · filed Aug 2016
Distil NetworksLed round
via Bessemer Venture Partners · filed Jun 2015
PicogridQuoted
via Bessemer Venture Partners · filed Apr 2026
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Auth0VeriSign
Investor
AnthropicBlue NileCienaDefense.netGood TechnologyLifelockLinkedInQualysRigettiRocket LabSkybox ImagingSpire GlobalTwilioTwitchVeriSignZapier
Sources: curated public sources · the firm's website.
Colleagues at Bessemer Venture Partners
Network37
▶25 more connections
Bhavik Nagda · scoutBob Goodman · scoutBrian Feinstein · scoutBryan Wu · scoutCarine Magescas · scoutCaty Rea · scoutCharles Birnbaum · scoutChris Hollenbeck · scoutChristopher Wan · scoutChuck Templeton · scoutDaegwon Chae · scoutDan Ahn · scoutDarsh Patel · scoutDixon Doll · scoutElliott Robinson · scoutEric Kaplan · scoutFabio Lancellotti · scoutFelda Hardymon · scoutGarth Timoll · scoutGary Kremen · scoutGeorge Bischof · scoutJeff Epstein · scoutJosh Hechtman · scoutTess Hatch · scoutThomas Korte · scout
Investors connected to David in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is David Cowan?
- David Cowan blends investor and operator—co‑founding three cybersecurity companies from his firm's offices, including VeriSign where he was founding chairman and CFO—and pioneers proactive, research‑driven roadmaps into quantum and space.
- Where does David Cowan work?
- David Cowan is Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners and Board director at Picogrid and Board director at Bastille Networks and Board director at Virtru.
- What does David Cowan invest in?
- David Cowan invests in AI & Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Consumer, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Gaming, Healthtech, SaaS, Space Tech.
- What check size does David Cowan write?
- David Cowan typically writes checks of $1M – $250M.
- What boards does David Cowan sit on?
- David Cowan holds tracked board seats at Auth0, VeriSign.
- What companies has David Cowan invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Anthropic, Blue Nile, Ciena, Defense.net, Good Technology, Lifelock, LinkedIn, Qualys, Rigetti, Rocket Lab, Skybox Imaging, Spire Global, and 4 more.
- Where did David Cowan go to school?
- David Cowan studied at Harvard University (AB, Computer Science and Mathematics); Harvard Business School (MBA).
- What awards has David Cowan received?
- Cowan's Wish I Knew podcast won the 2024 Webby Award for Best Business Podcast. Cowan received a 2026 Emmy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short as the producer of the film 'Heist.' Cowan's documentary Afghan Dreamers won the Best Human Rights Film Award at Galway Film Fleadh and other festival honors.
Same school
Also attended Harvard University2,000
+ 1,994 more
Also attended Harvard Business School2,000
+ 1,994 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Rocket Lab USA13
+ 7 more